Redemption

Funny Cide finally wins at Belmont by taking Jockey Club Gold Cup

Funny Cide finally got the elusive big win at Belmont. AP

NEW YORK (AP) -- Funny Cide is New York's hero again.

The 4-year-old gelding stormed into the lead down the stretch and pulled away for a sweet victory in the rain in the $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park on Saturday.

And just like that, the 2003 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner had that elusive victory over the same wet racetrack where he suffered his cruelest defeat -- a loss in the Belmont Stakes that ended his Triple Crown bid.

"It's a great victory. I was hoping we would be able to reverse what happened last year," said Jack Knowlton, managing partner of Sackatoga Stable.

Funny Cide, with Jose Santos back aboard, won in highly unusual fashion. The New York bred took a brief lead early on, dropped back to third near the far turn and looked as if he was ready to fall out of contention before the field turned for home.

But Santos, who missed Funny Cide's last start while recovering from a broken arm, put his horse into a drive. Running between rivals, the horse fought his way past The Cliff's Edge, who was rallying on the outside, and Newfoundland, who was leading on the inside. Crossing the finish line with a three-quarters of a length victory, Funny Cide was cheered by the hometown crowd.

Funny Cide, second to Evening Attire in the Saratoga Breeders' Cup in his last start, had won just two of eight races this year, and was winless in three previous starts at Belmont.

Trainer Barclay Tagg said his horse needed an impressive win to earn a trip to the Breeders' Cup Classic at Lone Star Park in Texas on Oct. 30.

Mission accomplished. Tagg, all smiles for the first time in months, said another try at the BC Classic is next. Funny Cide ran ninth in the 2003 Classic at Santa Anita.

"I felt if we won, he'd go to the Breeders' Cup," Tagg said. "If he lost, even by an inch, I didn't want to go."

Owned by Knowlton and his lovable high school pals from upstate New York, Funny Cide ended a six-race losing streak in Grade 1 races that began with his loss in the Belmont.

"It's a big, big win," Tagg said. "This used to be the defining race of the year. We were looking forward to a good race from him."

The Gold Cup was one of four Grade 1 races on the card: Pico Central was sensational in taking the Vosburgh Stakes, Kitten's Joy won the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic and Riskaverse took the Flower Bowl Invitational.

But Funny Cide stole the show, covering 1 1/4 miles in 2:02.44, with Newfoundland second. The Cliff's Edge was third, followed by Evening Attire, Bowman's Band, Love of Money and Domestic Dispute.

Funny Cide, the 3-1 co-favorite with Love of Money, paid $7.60, $4.80 and $2.50. Newfoundland paid $11.60 and $5.50, and The Cliff's Edge returned $2.90.

The win was worth $600,000 for Sackatoga Stable and boosted Funny Cide's bankroll to $3,174,485. The gelding has won eight of 20 lifetime starts.

$500,000 Vosburgh

Pico Central put in a dazzling effort, dominating a strong field for a four-length victory over Voodoo, with 4-5 favorite Speightstown third. With the win, the Brazilian-bred horse has five victories in six starts and established himself as the nation's top sprinter.

Trainer Paulo Lobo said a decision on whether to run in the Breeders' Cup Sprint would be made next week. The 5-year-old Pico Central was not nominated for the Breeders' Cup races, meaning owner Gary Tanaka would have to pay a $200,000 supplemental entry fee.

"We haven't ruled it out," Tanaka said. An option, he said, would be the Cigar Mile at Aqueduct on Nov. 27.

Pico Central, who earned $300,000 to boost his bankroll to $1,148,145, paid $6.40, $5 and $2.10. Winning time for the six furlongs was 1:09.74.

Cajun Beat, winner of the 2003 BC Sprint, was fourth in the five-horse field.

$750,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic

Kitten's Joy didn't miss a beat in his first race against older horses, kicking into high gear in the stretch and blazing past slight favorite Magistretti for a 21/2-length win.

Already the top-rated 3-year-old turf horse, the son of El Prado likely will be the horse to beat in the Breeders' Cup Turf. Ridden for the first time by John Velazquez, Kitten's Joy easily handled 11/2 miles, winning for the eighth time in his last nine races. The winning time was 2:29.97.

Kitten's Joy, trained by Dale Romans, returned $6.80, $3.30 and $2.80.

$750,000 Flower Bowl

Riskaverse surged past pace-setting Moscow Burning in the final strides to win by three-quarters of a length. The 5-year-old mare, ridden by Cornelio Velasquez, won for the first time in five starts this year and could make her next start in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf.

Distance could keep Riskaverse from a trip to Texas. The win in the 1 1/4-mile Flower Bowl was her first in eight tries at that distance. The Filly & Mare Turf is 1 3/8 miles.

Wonder Again, the 4-5 favorite in the field of eight, was a disappointing sixth.

Trained by Pat Kelly, Riskaverse returned $19.40, $7.10 and $4.60. The winning time was a dawdling 2:04.63.